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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22669246">Solace</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiwilicious/pseuds/kiwilicious'>kiwilicious</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff, Post-Canon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:14:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,174</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22669246</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiwilicious/pseuds/kiwilicious</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of Crooked Kingdom, Inej visits Kaz's office for business, but the two of them catch up afters months of being apart.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kaz Brekker/Inej Ghafa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>94</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Solace</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>Conrad Godfried</i>
</p><p>Kaz wrote the last name on the letter and folded it neatly. He pulled an envelope out of the desk drawer and slid the letter inside, then grabbed the black candle off of the desk corner and dripped wax onto the envelope. He pressed the stamp into the wax and paused for a moment, before removing it to reveal a single, black crow. The quietest creak came from behind Kaz, and he smirked a bit as he sat the letter on the edge of his desk and began writing on another document.</p><p>Moments of silence passed. </p><p>"Aren't you going to take it, Wraith?" Kaz didn't look up from his desk.</p><p>"That's not my name anymore." The voice came from the windowsill, and Kaz looked up to see her reading the letter. He glanced at the edge of the desk to find it empty. </p><p>"My apologies," Kaz chuckled, "Captain."</p><p>Inej hopped down from the windowsill and leaned against the desk. "These are the names you found?"</p><p>"Men masquerading as honest traders while crossing oceans with slaves hidden amongst the cargo." Kaz grabbed his cane and hooked the handle around the leg of a nearby chair and pulled it next to him. "I've also slipped some incriminating papers into the right mailboxes, and persuaded the Merchant's Council to offer bounties for these dishonest men. Whatever captain may be brave enough to take these men in alive will be rewarded handsomely." </p><p>"Sounds like fun." Inej grinned and sat in the chair next to him. Kaz could feel her warmth and suppressed a shiver.</p><p>"I've made contact with some people in Noyvi Zem who will take in the freed slaves. Give them fair jobs with fair wages and a roof over their head."</p><p>"All this out of the kindness of your heart?" Inej looked at Kaz, who was still writing. </p><p>"You wound me, Inej," he said, shaking his head. "When their bounties are filled, their assets will be seized and distributed to beneficiaries who need it more. Like you or I."</p><p>Inej laughed. Kaz felt her breath on his cheek and his heart started pounding a little harder. </p><p>"Thank you, Kaz." Inej touched his arm so gently that another person could never feel it. But to Kaz, it was electricity. That thought began echoing in his head, that he could run and be weak. Instead, he put his gloved hand on her knee, in spite of himself. Inej let out a small gasp, and Kaz turned to look at her.</p><p>"Are you okay with this?" His usual raspy voiced suddenly sounded like a low hum. Inej took a deep breath.</p><p>"Yes." She slowly and carefully leaned her head toward his shoulder, hesitating before making contact. "And you? Are you okay with this?"</p><p>Kaz froze for a moment, before nodding. She rested her head on him. He expected the revulsion to come, but he found instead that he could smell the sea salt in her hair. He could feel her rhythmic breathing. He was uneasy, but after a few moments, he became more and more comfortable.</p><p>An hour passed with Kaz continuing to work. He began to notice a gentle, quiet snore coming from Inej. He let himself smile, allowing himself a moment of weakness and solace. Inej began to stir.</p><p>"Mmm? Did I fall asleep?" She sat up and rubbed her eyes.</p><p>"You should go to bed, Inej. It's past mindnight."</p><p>Inej perked up a bit. "It is?" Before crossing to the window and crawling out. Kaz stared blankly at the window for a moment before she crawled back inside.</p><p>"There is a door, you know." Kaz shook his head.</p><p>"It's your eighteenth birthday, Kaz." Inej handed him a small box wrapped in clean decorative paper. "I thought you deserved this."</p><p>"Still finding people's secrets, Inej?" Kaz looked back at his documents and continued writing, ignoring the box. "It's just another day. The only difference is that some of the things I do are legal now. Doesn't change anything."</p><p>"I know you, Kaz." Inej set the box down directly on his papers. "I know what you like people to think about you and I know who you really are. Do you think I'd give you useless baubles or trinkets? Open the damn box, you stubborn bastard." </p><p>The sudden shift in Inej's tone gave Kaz pause. He leaned back in his chair and appraised the gift before him. The detail in the wrapping was so intricate and perfect. Kaz prided himself on being able to predict people and their actions, but he couldn't imagine what Inej would find for him. </p><p>"Thank you, Inej." He slowly took his gloves off and set them on the desk before carefully unwrapping the gift. Upon removing the paper, he lifted the lid off of the box and curiously peered inside to see a set of silver crow cuff links on it with some sort of strange apparatus attached to them. "What are these?"</p><p>"You wound me, Kaz," Inej laughed, "if you think I would give me something as simple as cuff links. Give me one of them to me, I'll show you." Kaz handed over one link and flinched as she grazed his bare hand. "You see this small gem at the base of the crow? Watch what happens when you press it." She pressed the button and a small blade popped out. </p><p>"I'm not sure that blade will do much, Inej." Kaz tilted his head. </p><p>"On it's own, no. But inside the blade is a very small reservoir of poison. The poison is harmless on skin, but as soon as it enters the bloodstream, they'll be horrifically sick within the hour. They'll swear they're dying. But offer them the antidote in the other cuff, and they'll be putty in your hands."</p><p>Kaz chuckled. "You have my attention. What happens if I don't give them the antidote?" </p><p>"Simple. There's no antidote. The poison will wear off in twelve hours." </p><p>"So what's in the other cuff?" Kaz leaned forward in his chair. </p><p>Inej grinned broadly. "More poison!"</p><p>Kaz let out a loud laugh, more genuine then he thought he was capable of. "I think you're the only person on this planet that actually gets me."</p><p>"Oh, don't be so dramatic, Kaz." Inej rested back against the windowsill. </p><p>"Thank you, Inej. Really." Kaz grabbed his cane and stood from his desk before walking over to her. "Will you help me put them on?" </p><p>Inej smiled and obliged. The dainty touches of skin made him tense up, but he restrained from flinching so that he didn't disturb her work. </p><p>The hours ticked by as Inej showed Kaz how to work the blades, and showed him how to inflict the poison subtly. They moved to some gentle sparring, telling stories about the Barrel and the open seas over the previous months. They talked about their friends, Kaz updated Inej about the upcoming wedding between Wylan and Jesper that she had been invited to. The two of them caught up for the rest of the night.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I wrote this for my fianceé and because it's astounding how much I relate to both Kaz and Inej separately.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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